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Okay, let's get this forum into shape! Here's placeholders, for IDing all the Y-Wings out there. As we get better pics gathered, I can amend this first post, and make it more concise and comprehensive.

The first pass at a Y-Wing. Colin Cantwell, 1975.

The first ILM Y-Wing, December 1975. Red Leader (also known as "Red Jammer"), this model was sent in an incomplete state to Elstree for the prop builders to blueprint and mock up the 1:1 set piece. It was returned at some indeterminate point, finished, but as far as we know never saw screen time.

Gold Leader (also known as "TIE Killer"). Survived ANH filming and was passed into private hands, for the most part untouched since filming. Was not available for the ESB or ROTJ production from what we can tell.

ILM Touring Hero Y-Wing (aka "red stripe blue artoo"). Has stayed in the archives since ANH, most likely was filmed after ANH?

Triangles pyro (with the one above, in the foreground). Triangles was detonated at least once, with it's fragments recently sold at auction.

Recently a photo of Triangles surfaced from Joe Johnston.

Alan Ladd Jr Y-Wing, aka "Tiger Sprockets". This ANH Y-Wing was gifted to Alan Ladd Jr after ANH wrapped, and now resides with the owner of Prop Store. This is perhaps the best preserved example of an ANH filming Y-Wing.

The Bill George ROTJ Y-Wing. Built by Mr George (apparently post ANH and some say it was part of his "portfolio" that got him a job at ILM), from very little reference, when he was a young man. Years later when he was on the ROTJ production, this personal model was pressed into service, and now is a permanent Archive resident. This is unlike ALL the other Y-Wings in dims and many parts, and has an R5 unit in the Droid socket.

Random Pyro Y-Wings. Roughly cast as one piece chunks, roughly painted, and permanently mounted from the nose on black rods.

This is one I took a shot of when the Science Exhibit came to Houston 5 years ago. Is this the Bill George? At first glance, the cockpit seems different, the saturn cans are missing the trademark plant-ons, and where the Italeri Howitzer part that runs across the main fuselage above the neck seems to be something different? Hope the ref pics at least come in handy!

This is one I took a shot of when the Science Exhibit came to Houston 5 years ago. Is this the Bill George? At first glance, the cockpit seems different, the saturn cans are missing the trademark plant-ons, and where the Italeri Howitzer part that runs across the main fuselage above the neck seems to be something different? Hope the ref pics at least come in handy!

The different robot unit (in this case an R5) immediately makes this Y stand out as the Bill George yes. It's surprisingly awesome how well Bill crafted the Y at the time he did with such little reference and a similar use of detailing pieces!

I remember it being discussed in the "Green Leader ID thread" that the Red Jammer was not called the Red Leader I thought? From my understanding there, the "Red Leader" name was for that of an X-Wing from ANH. I'm happy to learn and understand the difference between all these Y's as reference and details arise! Thanks Jason for beginning this thread!

The different robot unit (in this case an R5) immediately makes this Y stand out as the Bill George yes. It's surprisingly awesome how well Bill crafted the Y at the time he did with such little reference and a similar use of detailing pieces!

I remember it being discussed in the "Green Leader ID thread" that the Red Jammer was not called the Red Leader I thought? From my understanding there, the "Red Leader" name was for that of an X-Wing from ANH. I'm happy to learn and understand the difference between all these Y's as reference and details arise! Thanks Jason for beginning this thread!

That was my first thought! But I remember seeing pics of droids getting swapped. I might convert my 1/24 Y to this one. I do like the look!

I think I just call it that, so I will amend to "Red Y-Wing" soon - thanks!

Big Dog said:

The different robot unit (in this case an R5) immediately makes this Y stand out as the Bill George yes. It's surprisingly awesome how well Bill crafted the Y at the time he did with such little reference and a similar use of detailing pieces!

I remember it being discussed in the "Green Leader ID thread" that the Red Jammer was not called the Red Leader I thought? From my understanding there, the "Red Leader" name was for that of an X-Wing from ANH. I'm happy to learn and understand the difference between all these Y's as reference and details arise! Thanks Jason for beginning this thread!

If i built the perfect gold leader really with all the dimps bumps and spots the whole shabang,..would this get me in any kind of throuble when i take pictures of it and share these online.
Is there copyright on using the the designs like this aswell?
Another example,.. am i allowed to build a revell x-wing and take pictures of it or display it then ask money to them who want to see it without breaking the law?
Am i even allowed to display it?
I 've read that a couple who lost their child wanted Winny the pooh chisseled on the headstone of the childs grave.
The artist who did it for them was being sued by Disney for using the image and making money that way.
! dont know if this story is true or not but it sounds just like something mickey mouse would do(steamboat willie)

If i built the perfect gold leader really with all the dimps bumps and spots the whole shabang,..would this get me in any kind of throuble when i take pictures of it and share these online.
Is there copyright on using the the designs like this aswell?
Another example,.. am i allowed to build a revell x-wing and take pictures of it or display it then ask money to them who want to see it without breaking the law?
Am i even allowed to display it?
I 've read that a couple who lost their child wanted Winny the pooh chisseled on the headstone of the childs grave.
The artist who did it for them was being sued by Disney for using the image and making money that way.
! dont know if this story is true or not but it sounds just like something mickey mouse would do(steamboat willie)

I've toiled over the same thoughts. The logical explanation that I tell myself is that it's not the subject matter that's copyrighted, but the photos themselves. In this case, Neisen's team was given access to Gold Leader and they are his photos. I spent many years as a photographer and became very protective of my images. Granted, it was my income and living at the time.

Oh and along with that thinking, if someone were to post photos of Neisen's completed Gold Leader replica it would be perfectly acceptable, because it was displayed in a public place for all to see. The photographer would be the one to choose if it can be displayed.

My understanding of bill George y-Young was that they had dumped a y-wing during production which him and his mates found dumpster diving, he renovated it and then presented it during interview for ILM job, I don't know what was missing, but he gave it back to ILM as a filming model when they were short Y's I think . That's how it's touring now.

Which Y fragment was it then, I wonder? We have pretty much tracked down all the Ys that they seemed to have built for ANH and his looks too good to be built off a pyro... I think he scratch built it?

I will ask!

Vacformedhero said:

My understanding of bill George y-Young was that they had dumped a y-wing during production which him and his mates found dumpster diving, he renovated it and then presented it during interview for ILM job, I don't know what was missing, but he gave it back to ILM as a filming model when they were short Y's I think . That's how it's touring now.

On the SW Blurays there is a short videoclip of the Y-wings, from which this screengrab is. It shows the Bill George Y-wing (fondled by big George here), the ILM Tour Y-wing (front left), the Red (under the glass below) and a couple of pyros (right). Left to the screengrab, visible in the video, is Lorne Peterson and the engine cone of one more pyro.

I think this kind of sums up all the different types of the Y-wing in one shot.

Here's a mystery pyro from Ep IV. It has similarities with Triangles in terms of the extra pipes from the head to the neck, but it also has a dark grey stripe on the side of the cockpit that triangles does not have.